The Silence before the Storm
by hadizha
Summary: New Caprica. Cylon Occupation.
1. Chapter 1

Dark. It is pitch black. Your eyes can't focus on anything, because there is nothing to focus on. So you close your eyes and hope to sleep.

Cold. Your feet are cold. You can't feel your toes. Coldness spreads from your toes to your ankles and all the way to your tights. The coldness from the floor now seems insignificant because you are as cold as the floor. You can't move your fingers, they seem frozen.

Silence. The air around you is still. Everything seems so calm. It is like there were no screams no begging just few hours ago. Like there is no pain.

Stagnation. The calm before the storm. It reminds you of ocean back on Caprica. The stillness in the air, the stillness in the ocean. There were not even tiniest movements. It seemed like ocean waited. The air was thick. And it smelled somehow different. The atmosphere was pregnant with waiting. Excitement clung in the air. And your heart beat faster because you knew what will follow, so you waited. You liked storms from very early ages. Father used to take you to watch raging ocean. He said that Neptune- God of the Sea sent these storms. First you were afraid. But father said: '_Don't be afraid! I will always be here for you. I will always protect you. I will be here for you!_' But he wasn't.

And it was the most beautiful sensation when the ocean broke free. The waves crushed against cliffs. The ocean raged. The air seemed alive, it was like electrified. The wind blew in you face.

But this silence hangs heavy around you. This silence promises only more suffering. There will be no breaking free.

They will come back. It is just a matter of hours and they will come back. They won't let you sleep. They keep you awake and hungry and cold, to break you. To revenge.

But that doesn't scare you. Nothing does. Not any more. Not after hours and hours of screaming and beating and laughing in your face. It makes you sick not scared. Their arrogance, their sense of supremacy. They are machines. And that is all they will ever be.

The blood from your nose has dried and you can peel it off. Dried has the blood on your wrists and back. The smell of the blood hangs in the air. In your mouth there is taste of blood. The wounds on your back has dried and cloth is adhered to them and it hurts if you move.

You find a corner by touch. The walls are cold but smooth so you put your wrists to them to cool your wounds. You crawl into corner and want to cry. But tears doesn't come. There is only emptiness.

You dream of ocean, of clear blue skies and sun. You don't know if you will make out this time. Your body is tired. Maybe you don't want to survive this time. Maybe...


	2. Chapter 2

Ocean is calm behind his back, but you feel how it gathers strength. Danger, you feel danger rising from it. He holds out his hand for you to take it, but you can't. You know it is dangerous and want to warn him. But you can't open you mouth. You touch your mouth…and find nothing. You want to scream but you don't have mouth to scream. You want to run but can't move your legs. You look down and see that they are turned into trees and have rooted in the refined sand of the beach. You wave your hands at him to call him off the coast. But he just waves back and smiles. He smiles that smile of his, that made all your worries go away. The smile he used when you hit your knee and had to go to hospital. The same smile he smiled every night before kissing you and wishing good night. The same smile he smiled when he told you stories about Gods. The gods he so dearly and truly believed.  
You feel hot tears streaming down you cheeks and turning into bugs and flying away.  
He holds out his hand and smiles. But behind him immense wave crashes against shore and when it is gone, he is gone with him.  
You try to open your eyes. But your eyelids are heavy and it is hard to open them. Floor. Floor is cold against your cheek and there are some grains of sand and they sting into your cheek. You want to scratch it but can't move. So you decide to just lay there.  
Warm. Warm finger slides against the skin of your cheek. He puts a stray of hair behind your ear and the back of a hand brushes your cheek. Warmth of the hand contrasts with the cold of the floor.  
'Laura.'  
Distant but somehow familiar voice calls you. You know that voice. Past ten days it is your constant companion. It disguises you. The sweet and innocent tone of his voice sounds repulsive to your ears.  
'Open your eyes. It is morning.'  
You want to laugh. What difference it makes that it is morning. It just means that you have survived another day.  
'Open your eyes.'  
This time sweetness is gone and there is imperative. Command that is to be fulfilled without second thoughts.  
You comply. What difference it makes?  
Bright light from the light- bulb reaches your eyes and you blink several times.  
You sit and press your back against the wall and stare at other occupant of the cell.  
He sits on the stool and smiles that little smile of his that says 'I am your savior! Come to me and I shall set you free.' It makes your skin crawl and you want to throw something at him. He is holding something in his hand!  
'How are you?' he sounds that he is almost concerned.  
You want to laugh at that too, because just hours ago he and others beat you.  
He holds his hand and reveals what he has.  
'It is for you.'  
You look in disbelief at his hand. You want to cry. Sudden jolt of sorrow and anger runs through your body. How cam he? Who does he think he is?  
'Take it! It belongs to you.'  
You take several deep breaths to control yourself. And stare at the object in his palm. How could he? How could They?  
Anger rises and you hit his hand so that the object falls from his palm to the floor.  
For a minute he stares at you. And the there are light behind your eyelids and sting on your cheek.  
'Bitch!' he hovers above you. 'This is why humans where meant for extinction! But as your children we won't let that happen. We are here to save you from yourselves. God sent us to save you!'  
He kneels and caresses your cheek with the back of his palm, like parents usually do when they want to soothe their children.. He then lifts your head and whispers 'I am here to save you Laura!' and then he kisses your forehead and leaves. He glances back one more time and looks at you with eyes full of sorrow! 'I will save you! And you will be grateful. Sleep well. Tomorrow will be tough day for you.'  
His voice and words make you cringe.  
You pick the medallion from the floor. It is golden heart. And inside there are words 'God's lift those who lift each other'  
It is the medallion that father gave to you on your birthday! You recognize it because of the scratch on it.  
You think of your father and sleep claims you. And you know without Leoben's words that they will be back. And all this will start again.


	3. Bill

He was intoxicated. Heavily. His head was heavy and it seemed like he was floating in a universe of his own. Next to him were half empty bottle of some alcohol and half of a cigarette. And at his side lay most gorgeous woman alive.

Her head rested against his heart and her hand lay just inches from her face on his chest and he could feel warmth emanating from her. Her leg was half draped over his waist.

Life was good indeed, he thought, as he lay there watching the stars.

Sounds from the party, still going strong, were muted. The only sounds he heard were their united breathing. They were breathing in unison. When he was exhaling she was inhaling. It was as if they were working together so the breathing process itself wouldn't stop. Almost as if they were keeping and protecting life.

Just as they had when they were working together to lead Fleet to Earth. But those times were now gone. And this was not Earth.

Though it would seem that their work together should stop, but here they were. Together. They couldn't stop. They were bound together. Even now, when they operated in different spheres, they still needed each other.

He was intoxicated and his mind had drifted somewhere, but when he finally came back to his senses he noticed, that his partner had drifted to sleep. Her breathing had evened out and her body seemed even more relaxed. But he wanted to test that, because with Laura Roslin you never knew what to expect. He reached his hand to the leg that was draped across his waist and settled his palm on her knee, and slipped fingers just beneath the hem of her skirt. That earned him nothing. She was still not moving and still seemed asleep.

Then he slowly trailed his hand further up her thigh and watched as his hand moved beneath the red fabric. He looked down at Laura and still nothing. She seemed asleep. He ran his palm higher still, till it reached her backside and squeezed .

And suddenly a stab of pain hit him in the chest and fear gripped his heart. He listened intently. Nothing, he heard nothing.

And then he felt wetness seeping in his uniform jacket. Tears? Was she crying? He looked down and saw a dark stain spreading across his chest. Blood.

He stood as quickly as he could. His mind was racing and he couldn't think clearly. He felt as if he was in fog. He moved but he felt as if he couldn't control his arms or legs. When he tried to reach for Laura, who now lay limp on the ground, his arms wouldn't listen. He couldn't control his body.

He finally managed to get a hold of Laura. He lifted her into his arms and carried her towards the sounds of the music. His legs moved of their own accord and he couldn't clearly see where he was going.

He looked at Laura and saw the blood from her nose flowing down her neck.

Cottle. He had to find Cottle. His insides were shaking.

He finally reached settlement and suddenly the music stopped and everyone turned to look at him. He stood there, wanting to ask for help. But the words didn't leave his lips. He tried to speak but the sound wouldn't come out. Words died unsaid on his lips. He stood in the middle of the crowd with a limp and bleeding Laura in his arms and couldn't speak.

The people stood there, looking at him as if they were waiting for something from him. Some started to laugh. Some were whispering behind his back. But he was past caring.

He tried to find a familiar face. He spotted Lee and ran to him. He was standing with Kara and Dee.

Lee simply looked at him and nodded, "Sometimes you have to roll hard six."

Dee whispered to Bill, "The cat is out of the bag."

And Kara added, "The day comes, when you can't hide. That day is near."

Bill shook his head and went in search of Cottle. He felt Laura slowly slipping away from his embrace and tightened his hold on her.

Suddenly everyone was gone. And he was standing in the middle of a swamp. And red lights moved quietly in the shadows.

Fear gripped his heart and he felt there was nothing he could do.

Laura slowly slipped from his embrace like grains of sand. He tried to tighten his arms around her, but she was already gone. Only the sand at his feet now served as a reminder that she had been with him.

"Laura," was the only word that left his dry mouth and he repeated it like mantra over and over again.

He woke up with her name on his lips. His body was slick with sweat and his covers were damp. He sat on the edge of his rack

He felt old. He was an Old man who had too many burdens on his shoulders. His limbs felt filled with lead? His bones were heavy.

Old, tired and alone.

He missed her.

Maybe it was not love in the way the young felt and experienced love. It was not the type of love he knew before the end of the worlds.

It was something else. It was companionship, support and understanding. They were each others touchstone in a world gone mad. Each was the source of a kind word and laughter in a dark world, filled with crushing responsibility and loneliness.

They completed each other. When one inhaled, the other exhaled. When one was lost, the other found the way to lead them back.

Her face in his dreams represented all people who were down there. All whom he had failed.

She was his sidelight and she wasn't here. And now, without her, he was lost.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

You slowly wake up as you feel someone lifting you from the cold floor when you collapsed and passed out after another interrogation. This time it was not about fellow Resistance members and leaders. This time it was something new. This time they were asking about Earth. About the road to Earth.

Flashback. 2 days ago. Cylon detention cell. Interrogation.

You shut your eyes and prepare for pain to come, as you see his arm rising. But the expected slap doesn't come. The chair beneath you shifts and you fall on to the floor. The chair flies across the room and falls with loud crash.

Your eyes are still shut, but you hear the sound of his footsteps as he moves around the cell and stops near where you are lying.

'How do you feel now PROPHET? Why don't you save yourself and just tell us what we need to know, so that we can be free and live happily.'

You finally open your eyes and look up at him, standing there looking smug and full of himself, looking down at you as if you were something dirty and unpleasant. You want to laugh at him. As you are about to push yourself up, you feel his boot on your back, pinning you to the floor.

'You humans think that you are the dominant species. That you are standing above the circle of life, above everything and everyone. But you are wrong.'

'And Cylons? What is YOUR place, your role?'

He kneels and caresses your hair and whispers. 'We are here to save you. We, your children, will save you.'

'From what? ' you ask.

He inhales the scent of your hair and breathes out in your face. 'From yourself.'

And as he stands and goes to the door he turns back and with tender and caring voice says 'Sleep well.'

As he lifts you up, you hear him mumbling something that you can't understand. You would want to struggle, to try and to break free but your body betrays you. Your body goes limp in the arms of your capturer. And you slowly slip back into the world of darkness.

There is no way to know how much time has passed since you fell into oblivion. It could have been hours, days, even weeks.

Warm. Warmth and scents are enveloping you as you slip back into this world. You feel sunlight caressing your face and you feel its brightness behind closed eyelashes. There are faint sounds of ocean in the distance and sound of wind outside. And you can see with your minds eyes as the waves crash against the shore. The covers and blanket feel soft and warm against your body and you luxuriate in sensations, the way they feel against your skin.

Finally, you decide to open your eyes. The brightness of the sun filling the room causes you blink your eyes to adjust. And when your vision has adjusted, you realized the room you're in is huge. The décor is warm and inviting, the colors pale and the bed she laid upon massive. You note, with interest, the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves across the room, each shelf lined with books, hardback and paperback copies.

You try to remember what happened, recall events that led you here. The reasons why you are there. What is this place? You struggle, but nothing comes to mind. It is as if the last few days have been erased from your memory.

Your musings are cut short by the sounds filtering in from the other side of the door. Because the voices are raised enough for you to hear them, you wonder if the participants are arguing. Sounds and voices are muffled by the door, so there is no way to tell.

You hear the door sliding open and close your eyes, and pretend to be asleep. You can hear soft footsteps as someone moves around the room, as if the person is making an effort not to wake you up. You can smell the scent of freshly brewed coffee and just-baked bread. And your stomach betrays you, and growls; it begins to ache from hunger. You have no idea how long it has been since you had something to eat.

But you still decide not to open your eyes.

As you think of the possibilities, a feather-light touch interrupts your thoughts and your whole body goes still. Coldness spreads from your toes and wraps around your backbone, further spreading to your arms and settling in your fingers and your face.

The fingertips that now draw circles and unfamiliar patterns on your cheeks are cold and sweaty. You feel the trail that those fingers have left on your face, leaving the same patterns deep down in your soul.

The coldness is replaced by hot waves that sweep over your body, as the owner of those sweaty fingers leans closer and his breath caresses your face. The breath is dry and feels raspy against your skin. The breath seems lifeless, as it didn't contain scent or heat; this wasn't a human being…

You feel the mattress and blankets shift beneath the weight as he sits on the edge of the bed and leans closer. Your heart skips the beat as pillow sinks beneath your head as he positions his arms on either side of your head. You feel paralyzed, trapped there.

Your eyes snap open as you feel chapped and dry lips brushing against your forehead and then your nose. His gaze cuts straight to your soul as he stares at you. It feels as if someone has stabbed a knife into your gut and slowly twisted it, just to see how you would react.. His eyes bore into yours and he smiles at you.

'Good morning, sleepyhead! Did you sleep well? '

He caresses your cheek with the back of his hand, then cups your cheek and strokes your lower lip with his thumb.

Your eyes close, and you try to think.

'This can't be real. This is not real. Laura, you have to wake up. Wake up! This is not real. Please Gods!'

You slowly open your eyes again and your gaze again settles on Leoben. His face displays something that could be translated as caring, love, devotion and worry, had it been written on the face of a human being. But displayed on the screen of machine it lost all effectiveness, all meaning. On the face of a Cylon, it looked downright creepy and coldness again wraps itself around your backbone and something clenches in the pit of your stomach.

His thumb presses harder on your bottom lip. And his stare becomes harder and more serious.

'I asked how did you sleep?' and the pressure of his thumb on your lower lip increases.

You want to answer him, just to avoid further torture. But you can't; your body seems paralyzed, and your mouth is dry and your throat clenches. You couldn't say a thing if you wanted. Paralyzed and shocked. You have no idea what is going on, why you are here and where you are.

His eyes haven't left your face and his gaze hasn't changed its dynamics. Finally he smiles and removes his hand from your face. Instead he takes the hand that lays on top of the blanket, and holds it. Gently, but you know that you are not allowed to move away.

'I understand. It has been a long two days and you are still in shock.' His thumb strokes your knuckles and the veins that are there.

'Don't worry Laura. You will be ok. I am here with you. We will survive this together.' And with that he raises your hand to his lips and kisses first your knuckles, then turns your hand over and kisses the palm.

'I will let you rest. But I will come back. Rest my dear.' And he tucks stray locks of your hair behind your ears and presses kiss to your forehead. He moves to the door, but when he reaches it, he turns to look at you and the smile has faded from his face. If someone asked you to define what emotion his face displayed at that moment, you wouldn't be able to do so. It appears to be full of emotion and yet a blank canvas at the same time.

And then he is gone. You can hear him locking the door behind him.

After he is gone and everything is quiet again, you just stare at the ceiling. You just feel empty. The shock has left you numb; for the first time, there are no thoughts running through your mind. You are completely free to enjoy the sound of the ocean and the breeze that rustles the trees and grass.

When you are finally roused from your shock, you start to think, trying to remember the events that led you here. Why are you here?


End file.
